I was not in Lucknow at the Mohurrum in Asoph ul Dowlah's life-time.

Have you not seen him in public in that situation?-I had so little intercourse with Asoph ul Dowlah, and was so very seldom at his court during his life-time, that I cannot say that I saw him in that state.

Did not almost every body at Lucknow believe that such was the fact?- I have heard it stated.

Were you not present during the few months Vizier Ali was on the Musnud until Saadut Ali mounted the throne? I was present a short time before Vizier Ali was deposed; I arrived in Lucknow in September, 1797, and I was also at Lucknow at the time the present nabob was placed on the Musnud.

Did you attend at the placing him on the Musnud?—I was not time enough to see him mount the throne, but I was in Lucknow, and saw him mount the elephant, in company with lord Teignmouth.

About the time of the elevation of Saadut Ali, did not you become particularly intimate with him?-Not for some time afterwards.

When did your first intimacy with him commence ?-My first introduction to Saadut Ali was, while lord Teignmouth was at Lucknow, I believe in January, or February, 1798; but an imtimacy did not commence till nine or ten months after that.

During the time you were not very intimate, were you not in the habit frequently of hunting with him ?-When he first mounted the throne of Lucknow he had no hounds, nor did he indulge much in those exercises.

Had you many oppormities subsequently of becoming acquainted with the habits and character of the nabob? Several, the best that a person can have. When you became acquainted with him about a year after the treaty in 1798, did not the nabob mention to you his satis faction with the arrangements made by Sir John Shore?-That was never a question discussed with me, our conversations turned more on personal gratifications and amusements than any thing of a political nature.

Did not he appear perfectly satisfied with the arrangements made ?-At the commencement of his reign I think he did not; he appeared to be in trouble and perplexity, and dissatisfied.

Did not he enter very minutely into an examination of the books and papers left by his brother, and into an examination of the revenues and the police of Oude?-He began to give his attention to it some time after he mounted the throne, but, for some time after he mounted the throne, the business was conducted under the authority of his minister, Hussein Reza Cawn, and his deputy, Tickait Roy.

After some short time,did not the nabob pay a considerable attention to his affairs? Yes.

Did not he disband a great number of the useless servants, useless horses, and various other establishments belonging to the late nabob?—He certainly corrected a great many abuses in all parts of the establishment.

A very considerable expence was saved by that?-As to that I cannot say, for Asoph ul Dowlah's expences, though they were very great, yet, in point of nominal expenditure, his payments were so very bad in comparison of those of the present nabob, that probably the expence was not greater.

Do you remember that persons of no estimation were dismissed from the Court of Lucknow ?-I always understood that the court in the time of Asoph ul Dow lah was frequented by very low per sons, and people of very indifferent character; and I know the reverse to be the case with the present nabob, who bas never suffered any of those persons to frequent his court, and has got the best he could to sit with him.

After Hussein Reza Cawn was no longer minister, the early part of 1799, did not the nabob pay a great attention to the affairs of his country?-Yes, I believe he did, I always understood he did; not that I know that Hussein Reza Cawn ever was not a minister; I believe he died in the function of minister.

After Hussein Reza Cawn discontinued his visits to the Durbar, did he not pay a great deal of attention to his affairs with with those confidential persons he had brought with him from Benares?-He certainly did.

Did he not devote a considerable por tion of his time to the examination of the accounts and documents left by his deceased brother?- I understood he did.

For a prince, a native of Hindostan, do you not consider the present nabob

to be a man extremely fit for the administration of business? I consider the present nabob to be a man of considerable talent.

Do you not consider him to be a man of great acuteness, greatly improved by education?-I certainly do; I should tire the House perhaps with the detail.

Give your opinion as fully as you can as to the nabob's talents, and his qualifications to rule the country of Oude?He is a man of very great dignity, a man of very princely behaviour and deportment he is sensible, acute, well read, a very excellent scholar, and has gone through a liberal education for a man of that country; and in repartee, and every thing that is becoming a gentleman, in witticisms, and every thing else, he shines; he is a great ornament of society; he has a very general knowledge, not only of literature, as cultivated by the Natives of the East, but also of literature in general; and to mention more trifling accomplishments, he is a very good horseman; he has a taste for drawing; he is a very good architect: he has a very good taste as to ornaments in houses; he builds palaces with very great taste; he is fond of the amusements of the field, particularly hunting and shooting; he is particularly fond of horses; he has a very fine stud to improve the breed of the horses about his own country; and as a gentleman, meeting him in society, he is as pleasant a companion as I ever inet with.

Were you not sometimes employed in carrying before the nabob grievances complained of by some of his subjects?I was not employed in that way; but I have often interested myself; persons conceiving from the intimacy subsisting between the nabob and me, that through iny intercession something might be done to alleviate their sufferings, made ine the channel of their complaints.

You frequently conveyed to him complaints from his subjects, which he could not possibly have known ?- Certain jy.

Did you not find him always willing to hear complaints, and ready to redress them if in his power?-I cannot give so full an answer to that as might be required.

Did not you find him ready to listen to the grievances you mentioned to him?Yes, I always found him ready to listen to them.

VOL. 9.

And very often to redress grievances? -Certainly, he has very often through me redressed grievances.

In the early part of the year 1799, you had frequent intercourse with the nabob?-In the course of that year.

State what improvements he began about Lucknow at that time?-I cannot state positively, it was about 1799 he began those improvements; from the time I commenced an intimacy with him, he commenced improvements, which became extensive, in building palaces, and inclosing parks about his own palaces and mosques; but those have principally taken place at a later period than 1799.

Did not he about the month of August, 1799, commence what is called the English palace?-Yes, I think it was about 1799;

He shortly afterwards laid the founda tion of another palace ?—Yes, probably in 1800.

Although a great number of workmen had been employed in that, was it completed in January, 1805?-The last palace the nabob had taken a disgust to, and had began another palace on the site of general Martin's house, which was a more desirable situation on the banks of the river, and he had neglected that.

From what you observed at any period in 1799, did you conceive he had any intemi of quitting Lucknow, and retiring into private life? He seemed very full of care. at times, and not firmly contented and happy at Lucknow; he had constam fears and apprehensions for his safety, but he went on with the improvement of his buildings.

Did not the nabob feel a great veneration for science?-Yes.

Did no he collect an immense number of books and pictures, and had not he many persons employed in collecting and copying books?-Yes, no man could be more fond of science than he was.

Had not the Nabob an European artist employed at a great expense in painting pictures of his court, of himself, and the principal persons in his court?—Yes, till the end of 1825.

What sum did he pay Mr. Place for painting for him?--Through me he paid Mr. Place the sum of five or six thousand pounds.

he #M

The two first years of his elevation, did not lay out a considerable sum in

mares

mares and horses to improve the breed of horses, in Lucknow ?-He did.

Did not his zeal in improving his situation, and the splendor of his palaces, excite the wonder and astonishment of the natives of Lucknow ?- cannot answer that question, because Asoph ul Dowlah's palaces were more lavish than his.

In 1798 and 1799, did not his highness pay he most studied attention to dress? -As long as I have known the nabob he always paid a sudied attention to dress, but not particularly at those periods.

Was not his appearance in public, and particularly at the festival of Mohurrum, very splendid?-I always considered he was a man who wished to pay a decent attention to dress, he was always very well dressed.

Towards the beginning of 1789, did not the nabob shew a marked dislike of Hussein Reza Cawn, the minister, who about this time began to withdraw his attendance from Court?-To the best of my recollection, it was about that period he first shewed his dislike to him.

Was not that minister considered to be'the particular friend of colonel Scott, and was he not almost daily in the habits of going to the house of the resident?No, I do not think he was the particular friend of colonel Scott; colonel Scott, as the resident at Lucknow, paid 'attention to the minister, and he thought it his duty to give that degree of consequence to Hussein Reza Cawn which his station demanded.

Was he not more frequently about the resident before, than after he withdrew?-He very often went to the resident.

Do you know Almas Ali Cawn?I do.

Did you not perceive that the faculties of Almas's mind were completely destroyed?-Within the last year I think I had perceived an alteration in his faculties.

Was he not particularly attached to colonel Scott, and almost daily at his house?-He certainly latterly paid great court to colonel Scott.

Do you not know that the countenance shewn to Hussein Reza Cawn, and to Almas, and other discontented people, was particularly offensive to the nabob? I really believe that the nabob was jealous of any of his subjects who paid particular attention to any European; he

always required his subjects to pay marked devotion and attention to himself, and was jealous of them if they paid it to any body else.

Was not Almas very wealthy ?-He was, I believe.

At his death was not Saadat Ali his heir, and entitled to all his property ?In Mussulmen governments, the estates of the eunuchs and slaves in the palace are considered to fall to their sovereign.

Towards the middle of the year 1799, did not the nabob express to you his regret that Mr. Lumsden was removed from Lucknow ?—I do not recollect that he did at that period

Was not it generally believed, at a very early period after colonel Scott's arriving, that the nabob really bad a dislike to him?-Not at an early period; it was not till after he found out that colonel Scott's manners were rather repul sive to the natives, though he was a man of strict integrity; his manners were repulsive to Europeans also; it was a natural habit, and in consequence of that the nabob disliked him.

In 1800, and since, has not the nabob expressed a great abhorrence of colonel Scott?-He certainly disliked colon-l Scott more than he had done, but when he was going up to Delhi, and colonel Collins was sent to relieve him, the nabob conducted himself in a most generous and handsome manner to him.

Did not the nabob express to you a marked dislike of colonel Score in 1800 and 1801? He certainly expressed a marked dislike of his manners,

Do you not remember a large picture of the nabob's court containing portraits of the principal persons of his count?— Yes.

In that picture, was not there a full length likeness of colonel Scott?-Thefe

was.

Did not the nabob stop the artist from concluding the pictare, solely because colonel Scott's likeness was that?--1 have not heard that reason from him, but English gentlemen have joked about it, and said it was so.

Was that picture ever finished ?—It was nearly finished when I came away, and Mr. Place remained there to complete it.

Do you not know, and was it not generally believed, that the proposal to reduce the nabob's army was very offensive to him?-I believe at the first the nabob was very willing to disband his

army,

army, finding them totally insufficient for the purposes of collection, or for the subordination of his country; it was offensive to him afterwards, he himself has expressed it to be; but at first, I believe, it was at his own motion, on complaints of their insufficiency, that the reform was introduced.

Did not the nabob make an hunting excursion about the close of the year 1800?-He did.

Did you accompany him ?—I did. Was not it said, that the principal reason of his making that excursion was to get rid of certain negotiations then carrying on ?—I cannot conceive that could be the reason, because colonel Scott accompanied him, and they had almost daily opportunities of conversing on that and every other topic.

Do not you remember that the very night previous to the vizier's return to Lucknow, he positively refused his consent to give the perwunnahs for the disposal of the troops, and the resident then communicated to hin, that such being his determination, he resolved to separate from him, and march by himself to Lucknow ?-I did not hear that from the nabob; I have head reports of various natures, but I cannot credit every thing I heard at Lucknow.

You do not know that captain Lumsden received orders to march the guard by another_route to Lucknow, and that Captain Powell received also an order to separate from the nabob?I do not remember that the orders were given, nor on what account they were given; probably they did march so; I only know I accompanied the nabob and colonel Scott, in procession, into Lucknow from that hunting party.

How many years did you reside in Oude ?--I went up in the year 1796,, and I came away in 1804.

Give the committee an account of the state of the country, and of the government of the nabob?-- When I went up to Oude, in the year 1796, I stayed but from March to May in Lucknow; I then went to the Doab, and for near a year afterwards lived entirely in the state of the Doab. As to the stare of the Doab, I can speak with accu

racy, but I cannot to the whole kingdom of Oude; that part called The Doab I found in a state of great

anarchy, a total want of law or justice, and every thing else; nothing but violation of property of all kinds, and banditti ranging over the whole face of it; a total dereliction from every thing like justice; property, even among the natives, violated in every respect.

Were you in the district of Etawah ? I was situated very close to it, and have passed through it often.

Was that the state of the district of Etawah ?—Yes; an instance occurred in respect to an officer in the company's service, captain Salkeld, who went to purchase horses on the part of the company; I attended him, merely for the objects of amusement, and for the purchase of horses. We went into the Mabratta country, and crossed into the Doab, and we there met with a considerable deal of insolent and outrageous conduct, such as our being seized and confined, and our lives threatened by the subjects of Asoph ul Dowlah, at that time; and we did not get out without paying the sums they demanded, though we produced perwunnahs of Asoph ul Dowlah, of the Mahrattas, and of Almas Ali Khan, the aumil in whose district it was.

Have you any knowledge of the revenues in Oude under the government of the nabob?-I understood that they were in a state of annual decrease or decay, from the mal-administration of the under aumils in Asoph ul Dowlah's time, and in the time of the present nabob, although he paid a great deal of attention to it. I have often heard him complain of the contumacy of those aumils, in refusing to enter into regulations for the beer administration of his country. I have often heard him complain, though he took a great deal of pains, of their still continuing to pursue the destructive plan pursued in the time of Asoph ul Dowlah.

Have you any knowledge of the state of efficiency and disposition of the troops?-I cannot speak to the whole of the troops. I certainly have seen some instances of their mutinous and disorderly conduct; one instance, on the hunting party alluded to just now, in the year 18co: one morning, going to hunt tigers, his highness the nabob was rather late in getting up, and the battalion of sepoys in the company's service, who attended

him on this hunting expedition, had marched, as usual, from their ground about three or four in the morning, to avoid the heat of the day. His Highness was later than that, consequently all his large retinue had moved on. We remained, I suppose a party of twenty or thirty Hindostance gentlemen, on elephants, I was the only English gentleman present. We had scarcely proceeded a quarter of a mile from the encampment of the night before, when we came across a battalion, drawn up, I will not say a full battalion, there might be about three or four hundred men. His highness asked what brought them there. They had their slow marches, and battalion guns with them. They said they came to get their pay, and that they did not mean to leave that position till they got it; they had marched from a place called Tonda, a place forty, fifty, or sixty miles from the place where we were on that hunting excursion. His highness said, that was not the way for them to come to their sovereign, with arms in their hands, for their pay. They said they had represented it to the aumil, but that he had not obtained it; and they were determined to have it. His highness behaved with becoming dignity and spirit, and harangued them for a considerable time, and, luckily for us, (as we were few in number) they listened to his harangue, and the promise of paying them when they got into their encampment, and they laid down their arms; and I must do him the justice to say he faithfully paid them. That is the only mutiny I was witness to, though I have heard of others.

Do you happen to have a knowledge hat the nabob of Oude had mounted the eighth dragoons, and can you state to the committee the manner in which that transaction was conducted ?—I can; the eighth dragoons had volunteered to act under general Lake as infantry, not having horses.

In what year I really cannot say exactly; it was the beginning of the war; they were marching up when general Lake was taking the field, and his highness heard of it, and asked, why, being called dragoons, they were marching up on foot? I stated the fact, and mentioned that, they were a very spirited corps, who, not having horses, had volunteered serving on foot. He said, it was a pity such brave fellows should be in want of horses, and im

mediately wrote, or got colonel Scott to write to general Lake, to send a person from Cawnpore to Lucknow to select out of his stud four hundred of the best of his horses (not his own riding horses of course) to mount those dragoons. Colonel Vandalear was quite proud of this, and the opportunity it gave him, and his corps, to distinguish themselves, which they did afterwards; and he sent him four or five couple of Irish buck-hounds, which he knew the nabob was very fond of, as a present from himself, which I believe was the only remuneration his highness ever got for it.

Was this subsequent to the last treaty with the nabob in 1801?— Yes it

was.

How long?-I really cannot state the exact time, but some time afterwards; I know it was after the cession; a good deal, indeed, a considerable time, because I gave up some of the horses of the nabob's own body guard, which were under my command, to captain Salkeld, the gentleman sent Over 10 choose the horse's. I gave him several of the horses, which I supplied afterwards from the nabob's stables; and 1 was not appointed till after the ces

sion.

Have you any knowledge of a sum of money having been fent by the nabob of Oude to the company?—I have.

State the particulars of that transaction?-In the year 1804, general Lake was ordered to move with the army from Cawnpore, after Holkar; but from a deficiency in the treasury of Lucknow, which was the general treasury for the ceded provinces, his movements were stopped. The governor general had sent orders to colonel Collins, the resident at the court at Oude, to open a local loan, at the rate of twelve per cent. to supply funds for the exigencies of the army and of the state at that time. One morning, when I was riding with the nabob, he asked me, as usual, the state of affairs, about Holkar, and about generai Lake's movements; I represented to his highness the fact, that the army was prevented from moving from Cawnpore, in consequence of want of funds to enable them to move, and that in conséquence of that, his excellency the governorgeneral had given orders to colonel Collins, to open a local loan at 12 per

cent.